The Nigerian Navy has intensified its campaign against crude oil theft, dismantling 48 illegal refining sites, recovering about 4.698 million litres of stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, and arresting over 91 suspects linked to oil theft, pipeline vandalism, militancy and other related crimes during the second quarter of 2026.
The development was announced on Friday in Abuja by the Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, who said the operations formed part of the Navy’s ongoing anti-crude oil theft campaign under Operation Delta Sentinel.
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According to him, the operation recorded significant successes between April and June 2026, building on achievements made in the first quarter of the year.
Folorunsho noted that the renewed offensive came as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) announced that the country’s crude oil production rose to 1.735 million barrels per day in June 2026. He said the figure represents 104 per cent of Nigeria’s OPEC production quota and marks the nation’s highest oil output since April 2020.
He explained that the Navy carried out more than 580 intelligence-led operations across Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River and Lagos states during the review period.
The operations, he said, led to the seizure of over 4.698 million litres of stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, the dismantling of 48 illegal refineries, the arrest of more than 91 suspects, the interception of several vessels involved in crude oil theft, and the destruction of criminal logistics networks used to facilitate economic sabotage.
Among the major breakthroughs, Folorunsho revealed that the Navy arrested the motor tankers MKPODU, WESTAF and STELIOS K, which were allegedly transporting more than 900 metric tonnes of suspected stolen crude oil.
He added that operatives also uncovered a major illegal refining camp in Ndoni, Rivers State, where they recovered over 708,000 litres of illegally refined petroleum products and an additional 310,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
The Naval spokesman further disclosed that intelligence-driven operations across the Niger Delta disrupted attempts by criminal groups to revive previously destroyed illegal refining camps. He said security personnel intercepted illegal fuel consignments and prevented the re-establishment of illicit refining activities in several locations.
He explained that coordinated riverine operations led to the destruction of numerous illegal refining facilities, storage tanks, reservoirs, dugout pits, concealed fuel dumps, warehouses, illegal pipeline connections and militant hideouts used by criminal syndicates.
Folorunsho noted that despite repeated efforts by oil thieves to resume illegal operations, sustained military pressure had continued to frustrate their activities and weaken the profitability of crude oil theft networks.
He attributed the recent rise in Nigeria’s crude oil production to the improved security around critical oil and gas infrastructure, saying the efforts of the Navy and other security agencies had significantly curtailed the activities of economic saboteurs.
“The sustained presence of naval personnel across the waterways of the Niger Delta has denied criminal elements operational freedom, disrupted illegal petroleum supply chains and strengthened the protection of strategic oil and gas assets,” he said.
Reaffirming the Navy’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime environment, Folorunsho said the service would sustain intelligence-driven operations and deepen collaboration with other security agencies to dismantle crude oil theft networks.
He added that the ongoing operations are in line with the vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, and support the Federal Government’s target of increasing Nigeria’s crude oil production to 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.
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